I forgot this other fun little teaching science tidbit:
For two weeks, I only taught what the science IST gave me, basically test prep books. It was like death. Sooooo boring. So, I ended up looking up a simple science experiment and doing that. It was fun. I asked the Science IST if she had any other experiments I could do instead of the terrible test prep books.
She says sure. She brings me a whole crap load of stuff. We are going to see how many drops of water can fit on a penny. (It's cool, the kids guess like 10, but you can really fit like 60-70.) So she gives me all the supplies. I say, "Okay, cool, but what is the purpose?"
Her: You....are....putting...drops...on.....a....penny.
Me: Right. But what is the point of the experiment?
Her: Okay, here is the dropper, and here is the penny....
Me: I Know!! But after we finish the experiment, I say...? I don't know what concept I am teaching here.
Her: Miss Vinson, you obviously didn't pay attention in high school. *Starts to leave*
Me: What the...? Can you tell me what I'm teaching?!
Her: *sigh*, I have been doing you A LOT of favors lately.
Me: Thanks?
Her: it is about surface tension and cohesion.
Me: Cohesion?
Her: *Sigh*
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Great Expectations
Kenyonna.
She used to come in everyday, sit in the corner and do her work. I didn't really talk to her that much, but she was never rude or anything to me. I heard from two of her other teachers that she was causing serious problems.
Her birthday was about 3 weeks ago. She walked into class, picked up her work, threw it on the ground and said, "I don't know how to do this!" I said, "Kenyonna, you didn't even look at it."..."I DON'T HAVE TO FUCKING STAY IN HERE!!!" And she walked out. What the...
So, i write an office referral. On the referral I describe what happened, but I say that since this entire episode happened in about 30 seconds, and I've never seen her like that before, I'm pretty sure something else is going on that doesn't have anything to do with me.
She comes back to me about 30 minutes later and we talk in the hallway. She tells me that she's mad that her birthday never turns out how she wants it to. I get that, I've been there. I told her that it sucked about her birthday, but she couldn't talk to me like that.I pretty much just decided to let the whole thing go.
(Oh, and side note: every time someone writes an office referral, the administration says that you have to call a parent before they will do anything. Okay.
Kenyonna and two of her sisters go to our school, and all three cause trouble. Once an administrator called the house and had this conversation:
Admin: Hi, I'm calling about your daughter.
Mom: Which one? I have seven.
Admin: Seven! Wow! You must have your hands full.
Mom: What? they're just kids. I could have 12 and it wouldn't matter.)
But ever since then, she won't do any work, she won't talk to me or look at me. It's really weird. She tells people that she hates me and her math teacher. That's fine, but I don't get it.
On Thursday, I was walking around passing out rulers. She had been in the corner sleeping (her usual routine lately) but she had gotten up and walked across the room. I told her to sit down. She said, "If you hit me with that ruler, I will smack you." Again, what the...I wasn't being confrontational, I didn't even yell, "sit down." I kind of rolled my eyes, like, "okay, crazy.." But kids can't threaten me, so I wrote her another office referral (I've only written two all year--both for her!). Nothing happened. NOTHING. She was in my class the next day. Nobody mentioned the office referral. She still wouldn't talk to me, but she did all her work. If she had a question, she would ask another girl to ask me. Again, WEIRD.
But I really tell you that, to tell you this:
So, we get out of school at 2:35. Najee's hair was a huge mess. Takeeta had asked that, if they both finished all their work, could she fix Najee's hair. Okay, fine. it's Friday. When you are finished. (I know, I'm a terrible teacher, I should be taken out back and shot.)
At 2:30, Takeeta started re-braiding Najee's hair. At 2:31, Principal came into my class and starting yelling about how I'm a terrible teacher and this school is about learning, etc., etc.,etc....pretty standard principal talk. I get it, she has to say something, it's good. I know I shouldn't have let it happen, etc., etc.
But after the bell rings, she calls to me down the hallway to come see her. We have this conversation:
Principal: miss vinson, That was completely unacceptable.
Me: I'm sorry. There were only 5 minutes left, and they had finished all their work.
Principal: I don't care if there were 30 seconds left, they need to be working.
Me: Okay.
Principal: I mean, how dare you.
Me: Principal, come on. My class is the only class Takeeta even CAME to today. She was running the halls. And she did WORK for me. She wasn't running around cussing everybody out.
Principal: You have the wrong attitude about all this miss vinson!! We have EXPECTATIONS in this building!
Me: Yeah? Well, if expectations are so high, why didn't anything happen to Kenyonna after she threatened to smack me?
Principal: Right, and you didn't call her mother.
Me: You want me to call that mother? The one who said no teacher is allowed to talk to her?
Principal: *Sigh* Well, *Sigh* I guess I'll suspend her. *Sigh*
Me: Well, don't do me any favors. It doesn't even matter now.
She used to come in everyday, sit in the corner and do her work. I didn't really talk to her that much, but she was never rude or anything to me. I heard from two of her other teachers that she was causing serious problems.
Her birthday was about 3 weeks ago. She walked into class, picked up her work, threw it on the ground and said, "I don't know how to do this!" I said, "Kenyonna, you didn't even look at it."..."I DON'T HAVE TO FUCKING STAY IN HERE!!!" And she walked out. What the...
So, i write an office referral. On the referral I describe what happened, but I say that since this entire episode happened in about 30 seconds, and I've never seen her like that before, I'm pretty sure something else is going on that doesn't have anything to do with me.
She comes back to me about 30 minutes later and we talk in the hallway. She tells me that she's mad that her birthday never turns out how she wants it to. I get that, I've been there. I told her that it sucked about her birthday, but she couldn't talk to me like that.I pretty much just decided to let the whole thing go.
(Oh, and side note: every time someone writes an office referral, the administration says that you have to call a parent before they will do anything. Okay.
Kenyonna and two of her sisters go to our school, and all three cause trouble. Once an administrator called the house and had this conversation:
Admin: Hi, I'm calling about your daughter.
Mom: Which one? I have seven.
Admin: Seven! Wow! You must have your hands full.
Mom: What? they're just kids. I could have 12 and it wouldn't matter.)
But ever since then, she won't do any work, she won't talk to me or look at me. It's really weird. She tells people that she hates me and her math teacher. That's fine, but I don't get it.
On Thursday, I was walking around passing out rulers. She had been in the corner sleeping (her usual routine lately) but she had gotten up and walked across the room. I told her to sit down. She said, "If you hit me with that ruler, I will smack you." Again, what the...I wasn't being confrontational, I didn't even yell, "sit down." I kind of rolled my eyes, like, "okay, crazy.." But kids can't threaten me, so I wrote her another office referral (I've only written two all year--both for her!). Nothing happened. NOTHING. She was in my class the next day. Nobody mentioned the office referral. She still wouldn't talk to me, but she did all her work. If she had a question, she would ask another girl to ask me. Again, WEIRD.
But I really tell you that, to tell you this:
So, we get out of school at 2:35. Najee's hair was a huge mess. Takeeta had asked that, if they both finished all their work, could she fix Najee's hair. Okay, fine. it's Friday. When you are finished. (I know, I'm a terrible teacher, I should be taken out back and shot.)
At 2:30, Takeeta started re-braiding Najee's hair. At 2:31, Principal came into my class and starting yelling about how I'm a terrible teacher and this school is about learning, etc., etc.,etc....pretty standard principal talk. I get it, she has to say something, it's good. I know I shouldn't have let it happen, etc., etc.
But after the bell rings, she calls to me down the hallway to come see her. We have this conversation:
Principal: miss vinson, That was completely unacceptable.
Me: I'm sorry. There were only 5 minutes left, and they had finished all their work.
Principal: I don't care if there were 30 seconds left, they need to be working.
Me: Okay.
Principal: I mean, how dare you.
Me: Principal, come on. My class is the only class Takeeta even CAME to today. She was running the halls. And she did WORK for me. She wasn't running around cussing everybody out.
Principal: You have the wrong attitude about all this miss vinson!! We have EXPECTATIONS in this building!
Me: Yeah? Well, if expectations are so high, why didn't anything happen to Kenyonna after she threatened to smack me?
Principal: Right, and you didn't call her mother.
Me: You want me to call that mother? The one who said no teacher is allowed to talk to her?
Principal: *Sigh* Well, *Sigh* I guess I'll suspend her. *Sigh*
Me: Well, don't do me any favors. It doesn't even matter now.
Hopefully I Can Update The Blog From Prison
So, the CEO of our school system had a fancy plan for schools to have "autonomy," so principals were put in charge of their own budgets. A good idea, I'm sure, if the principal isn't a nutcase.
We are a Title 1 school, (i.e....POOR) and we receive money that is designated as Title 1. (becoming Title 1 depends on how many of your students receive free lunch.) This money is supposed to be used to help those students.
Our esteemed principal has attempted to use this money to purchase the following:
1. a new refrigerator for the teacher's lounge
2. catered food for the 8th grade prom
3. buses for a trip to six flags.
I'm sure there is more, that is just what I know about.
I know these things because I am in charge of all the 8th grade activities. Activities that she created, then decided on the dollar amount for the class dues, left me to do all the work, and then refused to give me any money. She said I could only charge the kids $100. But she included a trip to six flags, a prom, a class picnic, and a skating trip. Then, she runs out of money. so when I give her the invoice for the prom food, she's all, "oh, just use Title 1 money. I never promised you anything else." Awesome.
We are a Title 1 school, (i.e....POOR) and we receive money that is designated as Title 1. (becoming Title 1 depends on how many of your students receive free lunch.) This money is supposed to be used to help those students.
Our esteemed principal has attempted to use this money to purchase the following:
1. a new refrigerator for the teacher's lounge
2. catered food for the 8th grade prom
3. buses for a trip to six flags.
I'm sure there is more, that is just what I know about.
I know these things because I am in charge of all the 8th grade activities. Activities that she created, then decided on the dollar amount for the class dues, left me to do all the work, and then refused to give me any money. She said I could only charge the kids $100. But she included a trip to six flags, a prom, a class picnic, and a skating trip. Then, she runs out of money. so when I give her the invoice for the prom food, she's all, "oh, just use Title 1 money. I never promised you anything else." Awesome.
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